I fertilize directly, weakly weekly. I never understand the practice of watering first and THEN fertilizing - once orchid roots are saturated with water, they don't hold anymore. So, when you fertilize after watering, logic would tell you that they're not actually absorbing the fertilizer due to prior root saturation. At least that's how I feel.

i am using weak fertilizing method like Jervis, but whether i water them first then fertilize or directly fertilize depends on the weather. if it is a hot sunny season, like now, i usually drench them with loads of water before fertilizing because i believed that with spraying alone, will not get all the roots wet enough.
However, what Kelly mentioned to make sense because those velamen are like a sponge.

Usually when I fertilize, I am soaking them in a weak solution of fertilizer. In between, if needed, I just water them. To be honest, I'm not sure that is the best way, it is just what's convenient for me.

The velamen radicum on the roots not only gets saturated quickly with water, but the ion binding sites within it get fully occupied if you water first, so following up with fertilizer later is not only wasteful, its purpose is totally defeated.

If you want the very best for your plants, Chingjervis' technique is the way to go, although I'll be more specific than recommending a fraction of the recommended dose, as that varies with fertilizer producer - I recommend about 25 ppm N at every watering, and use a complete formula in as pure a water supply as possible. Really simplified, just divide 2 by the %N on the fertilizer label. The result is the teaspoons per gallon to use. For those of you smarter about adopting the metric system than most of the US, divide 2.6 by the %N for ml/L.

I fertilise weakly weekly. For orchids with exposed roots like vandas and some mounted plants, i use a pressure sprayer to mist the roots until they are fully hydrated and turn green. For potted plants like cyms and paphs i pour fertiliser water over the media until i see excess water runs out of the pot.
I agree with Kelly, that if you water the plants before fertiliser the roots become saturated. If one uses weak solution of fert then there is no chance of fertiliser burn.Posted via Mobile Device

I fertilize directly, weakly weekly. I never understand the practice of watering first and THEN fertilizing - once orchid roots are saturated with water, they don't hold anymore. So, when you fertilize after watering, logic would tell you that they're not actually absorbing the fertilizer due to prior root saturation. At least that's how I feel.

That's what I think also. What's the use of fertilizing when roots won't take up any more water? Now that it's hot, I soak my Vandas and mounted orchids daily with a weak solution of fertilizer

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